With hundreds, maybe thousands of college radio stations all over the world, it can be daunting for new listeners who are open to exploring the dizzying number of offerings. Some college radio aficionados turn to “best of” lists in order to get turned on to new stations, but those typically only scratch the surface. To hear the bigger world of college radio, there are numerous entry points, including links on college radio-oriented sites like Soundtap and Spinitron. I also enjoy geographically-focused station sampling using Radio Garden, although one has to hunt a bit to find college radio stations specifically.
Digging into College Radio Stations on TuneIn
I wrote about my tour of unexpected audio on TuneIn earlier today and during those explorations, I also perused the college radio category. Head over to the “music” section and in the “explore” menu, select “college radio.” While browsing through these stations, one is presented with “local” college radio stations first, followed by a list of a variety of streams. Since I’m quite familiar with my local offerings (TuneIn suggested KUSF, SF Community Radio, KZSU, KSFS, and KCSF), I skipped down to check out some stations that were less familiar to me. Here’s a snapshot of what was playing on a handful of college radio stations last night:
DemonFM (De Montfort University, Leicester, UK): The late night show that I caught yesterday was playing a pleasant mix of low key electronic music, which sounded like a live mix.
WTUL (Tulane University, New Orleans): Evening show was playing some amazing live jazz and then morphed into a jazz cover of the M.A.S.H. theme song.
WMBR (M.I.T., Cambridge, Massachusetts): I was lured by description “Nonstop Ecstatic Screaming” and was thoroughly satisfied by the experimental, heavily percussive sounds of the project Guardian Alien.
KXZY (Oklahoma State, Stillwater, Oklahoma): Dance club sounds were pumping from Hudson Mohawke when I stopped by.
Hochschulradio Aachen (University of Aachen, Germany): Mellow electronics and then soft jazz made for a soothing late night/early morning soundtrack.
WBRU Closer to Sale
The Providence Journal reports that the sale of the FM license for commercial college radio station WBRU in Providence, Rhode Island is imminent. The article states:
WBRU-FM is in ‘final stages’ of being sold, according to a message posted on the radio station’s website.
Art Norwalk, spokesman for the WBRU board of directors, said a broker hired by the station is in active negotiations with a potential buyer, whom he declined to name. He said it was impossible to predict exactly when the sale would be finalized, but suggested it would be in weeks as opposed to months.”
The modern rock station’s license is held by a non-profit that is run by a board and student station members affiliated with Brown University. WBRU plans to continue as an online-only radio station with an alternative music stream, an urban music stream, and a weekly news podcast. The article reports that there is opposition to the proposed sale and one station alumnus has set up the Save WBRU website to protest the loss of FM.
More College Radio News
WBRU in Final Stages of Being Sold (Providence Journal)
KNWT Knocked off the Air over Tower Payment Dispute (Powell Tribune)
DJ Dean: Dean of Students Spins his Greatest Hits on College Radio Station WXTJ (UVA Today)
Urban Artifact Radio Station to Help Fill Void When WNKU Leaves the Air (WCPO Insider)
Countdown to Conclave 42: Which Broadcast Student Will Win the BMI Scholarship (All Access)
Red Tape Shuts Down Mumbai University’s FM Channel (Asia Radio Today)
College Radio: Just a Bunch of Kids? Preserving College Radio History (Radio World)
